Lullabies
by Mia Vaan
Summary: A tragedy leaves Jamie and Sophie Bennett without a home or a family, and to save them from being separated in the foster care system, the Guardians take the children under their wing. But none of them are prepared for the journey that is parenthood. Rated 'T' for safety. This week: Pitch visits the Guardians with his advice...and it's surprisingly good.
1. Chapter One: Visit at Midnight

New story? Why do I have a new story up when I'm currently writing two still?

Because this came to me and wouldn't go away.

I will point out, though, that I have no idea where I'm going with this story. It's one of those which doesn't have an end point. I've never written anything like this before; I've always known where I'm going with all of my stories. So this is new. But I still have a few things I know I want to happen.

This means I'm open to ideas. If anyone has an idea for what can happen, then feel free to tell me in a review. Don't be shy; I'm open to all ideas so long as they don't collide with the ideas I have so far.

So anyway, I hope you all enjoy the story, and please leave a review. Oh, and also check out my other stories; _Guardian of Light_ and _Protectors_ (the latter is a crossover with Megamind).

Disclaimer: _Rise of the Guardians_ belongs to William Joyce and Dreamworks.

* * *

Jack liked to visit Jamie late at night. He had made a habit of it not long after Pitch's attack on the Guardians, just in case the Boogeyman returned to give the boy Nightmares – even during the summer when he was off season. It soon became some kind of midnight play date for the two, and even when he was supposed to be working somewhere else in the world Jack couldn't stay away.

North had said it was natural. Jamie was Jack's first believer, and even though the number was growing, Jamie would always be special to the new Guardian. He was like the younger brother he never had; a boy who reminded him of his sister in so many ways.

On such a night Jack arrived outside Jamie's open window, and didn't have to wait long; the boy was out of bed immediately, practically jumping up and down with excitement. "Jack! You're here! I didn't think you'd come."

"Why would I miss this?" asked Jack. He climbed in through the window, and he kept a smile on his face despite how humid the air was.

"Because of the heatwave," Jamie replied. "I don't want you to overheat, or anything. I know it bothers you a lot more than it bothers me."

Jack chuckled. The boy was right about that; Jack couldn't _stand_ the heat, for obvious reasons. "I know, but it'll take more than a heatwave to keep me away." He sat himself down on the box at the end of the boy's bed, where he usually sat during his visits. "So, what's going on with you?"

"Well, apart from baking to death in the classroom, I got an A on my creative writing assignment!" Jamie held up the paper to show Jack.

"Is that the one about us?" Jack asked, and the boy nodded. The week before, Jamie had asked him permission to write about the Guardians and the adventure defeating Pitch. Jack in turn had asked North, who'd said it was fine so long as it didn't raise suspicions among the adults. "Did your teacher say anything about it?"

"Just said it was really imaginative," said Jamie. "She didn't suspect anything; don't worry."

Jack sighed with relief. "Good. So what else happened?"

At this, Jamie averted his gaze to the floor with a sad expression. "Claude and Caleb stopped believing."

The Guardian mirrored his expression. It was sad when a child stopped believing, but it was a way of life, and something that had to happen. Any child who kept on believing into adulthood usually had a good reason for it, like having an encounter with one of the Guardians. But even then, a child could easily stop believing.

Jamie and his friends were at an age where children began to act more mature, and childhood fantasies began to fade. Jack feared the same thing would happen to Jamie, but as time went on, it was almost as if his belief grew _stronger_. "What did they write off their experience as?"

"A dream," said Jamie. He sighed. "Like Pippa and Cupcake did." The girls were the first to stop believing, but as girls usually matured faster than boys, this was understandable. "It's just Monty left, now. And it probably won't be long for him, either. He...tends to give into peer pressure easily."

Seeing the sadness in the boy's eyes, Jack laid a comforting hand upon the boy's shoulder. "It's sad when a child stops believing. But it's inevitable." Jamie nodded, and noticing him shiver slightly, Jack removed his hand. "Sorry."

"No, it's OK," said Jamie. "It's cooling me down. It's really hot in here."

Before more could be said, the two boys heard a squeal of laughter coming from Sophie's room, followed by a sudden 'shush'. They both knew what this meant.

"Looks like Bunny decided to pay a visit to Sophie," Jack observed. Bunny didn't visit as often as Jack did, but sometimes he found time to visit the little girl who had wandered into his warren that Easter and had showed him just what he'd been missing out on. "Let's just hope your mum doesn't wake up."

"She wouldn't be able to see you guys even if she did," said Jamie. "And she won't tonight; she's usually a light sleeper, but she has an important meeting with her boss early tomorrow morning, and she wanted to get a good night's sleep. So she took these sleeping pills to stop her from waking up in the night; I don't think even a fire engine could wake her up now."

Jack smirked. "More fun for us, then." He flew out Jamie's bedroom door and down the hall; Jamie grabbed the stuffed rabbit from his bed before following along behind him. Jack opened Sophie's door and found Bunny hopping around the room with the little girl on his back, both laughing.

The Pooka froze, expecting to see Sophie's mother standing in the door, but relaxed when he saw it was only Jack. "Shouldn't you be on the other side of the Earth spreading your mischief down south?"

"You know I don't miss these visits." Jamie hurried in behind Jack and shut the door behind him, just in case his mother _did_ wake up.

Bunny helped Sophie off his back, and the little girl began to jump up and down with excitement. "Bunny home! Bunny home!"

"Not tonight, you little ankle biter," said Bunny with a chuckle. "It's late. Look at the time, it's..." He looked at the small fairy clock on her bedside table, and his expression changed, "...midnight. Oops."

"I haven't seen your warren before," Jamie spoke up. The boy had always wanted to see it, after hearing descriptions from Jack and watching Sophie draw pictures of the place. It looked amazing. "And it'll probably be cooler than here. Even if you guys _did_ leave now we won't sleep much."

Jack shrugged in agreement. "We could let them sleep there and bring them back here before morning?" he suggested.

Bunny thought about this, and upon seeing the pleading eyes of both Jamie and Sophie, he sighed. "Fine. I guess it won't hurt." The two children cheered in hush voices as Bunny opened up a tunnel in the floor; the kids hopped in first, and then Bunny looked over at Jack. "You coming?"

"Better than this oven." Jack hopped in, and Bunny followed before the tunnel closed behind them.

At the other end Jamie and Sophie landed on the soft grass of the warren, the stuffed rabbit falling from Jamie's arms. But the boy barely noticed; he was too in awe of the sights around him, and gasped as he got to his feet and turned in circles.

"Wow...this is even more amazing than I imagined!" Beside him, Sophie just giggled as she hurried over to a small group of eggs. They scattered and hid in a small hole, and she tried to stick her head inside to follow.

The large stone eggs came to life around them as Jack and Bunny arrived. "Easy, mates," Bunny told the stone eggs. "They're with us." The eggs acknowledged and stepped back, but remained standing in order to keep an eye on things. Bunny hopped over to where Jamie was in awe and where Sophie was trying to catch the eggs. "Oh, and Frost? No blizzards."

"Darn." Jack smirked, and when Bunny sent him an unamused look, the boy raised his hands innocently. "I kid."

Bunny made a 'I'm keeping my eye on you' sign before turning his attention to Sophie. "Come on, you little nipper. You wanna help paint some eggs?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Sophie jumped up and down.

"Me too!" Jamie spoke up.

Bunny chuckled. "Of course, mate. There's millions to go around."

As Bunny led the siblings over to where the new eggs were coming from, Jack hung back to watch with a smile on his face. Sometimes he wondered what would have happened if he didn't die; he missed his old family, especially his sister, and didn't like to think about how much they must have suffered after his death. But watching the Bennett children, and thinking about the other Guardians, he realized that he had a new family.

And he wouldn't change them for anything.

* * *

Hours passed, and soon both Jamie and Sophie were asleep. Running around the warren and helping Bunny paint eggs had left them worn out; the two slept against a moss-covered rock, the stuffed rabbit under Jamie's arm, and the two Guardians watched them with smiles on their faces.

"Good call on bringing them here," said Bunny to Jack. He leaned in and brushed a hair away from Sophie's face.

Jack – who was crouched on top of his staff – leapt down. "_Burgess_ was hot, even for them. But we better take them back now."

Bunny nodded in agreement before taking Sophie into his arms and picking her up. Jack did the same with Jamie, but struggled under the boy's weight. "Why do I have to get the heavy one?"

"Because he's _your_ friend, mate." The Pooka chuckled before tapping his foot on the ground, calling upon a tunnel to take them back to the Bennett home.

Nothing happened.

Bunny frowned, before tapping his foot again. Still nothing happened.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Technical difficulties?"

"No." Bunny placed Sophie down again, and motioned for Jack to do the same with Jamie. He did. "My tunnels have a fail-safe on them. It's no good if I open one, not knowing what's happening the other side, and I end up in the middle of an earthquake. So they don't open if there's any sort of danger at the other end."

"But _Burgess_ doesn't get earthquakes," said Jack.

The Pooka rolled his eyes. "I know that, mate. But something else might be up. Stay here with the kids; I'm gonna take a look." He tapped his foot to summon another tunnel, leading to outside the Bennett home; this one opened, and he leapt through.

_I hope nothing bad has happened_, he thought as he sprinted through the tunnel, trying desperately not to fear the worst, for the sake of the children. He was the Guardian of Hope; he had to hold onto that.

The tunnel opened up above him and his ears appeared first, checking that the coast was clear; certain it was he hopped out. He was behind a bush by the nearby pond, but this barely registered. His attention had been caught by the flashing lights, the panicked yells and the roaring sound he knew didn't come from any kind of animal.

So Bunny peered through the gap in the leaves...and froze.

The Bennett home was engulfed in flames.


	2. Chapter Two: Guardians Assemble

OK. I got 27 reviews on this story. And that was when it was only one chapter in.

Seriously, guys. Thank you. Just thank you. (And please give the same love to my other story _Guardian of Light_)

I never expected this story to get so much feedback. It's...overwhelming. Seriously. Thank you.

Back to the chapter...I hope the ending is realistic. Having never really been in that situation before, I wasn't sure how people would react to it. But I guess different people react in different ways, so it could be both right _and_ wrong. *shrugs*

And can people please give me suggestions for future chapters? Otherwise this story will end up being rather short...

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to review! :D

* * *

Watching the Bennett children as they slept peacefully, Jack wondered what was taking Bunny so long. The Pooka had been gone for a while.

_How long does it take to check what's happened?_ he thought. He remembered what Bunny had said; his tunnels didn't open if there was any kind of danger on the other end. Bunny had tried to open one leading to the Bennett home...and it hadn't opened. Which meant that something had happened.

Jack tried not to fear the worst, but he couldn't help it. Whatever had happened, it had to have been something bad. _But what could have happened? I hope their Mum's OK..._ The young Guardian looked over at the two sleeping children, wishing and hoping upon the Man in the Moon that their mother was all right. Losing a parent was the worst thing that could happen to a child, and Jamie and Sophie had already lost their father a year before. Losing their mother as well...

A tunnel opened up nearby and out hopped Bunny. Jack got up from where he was sat on a rock, and when he saw the hopeless expression upon Bunny's face...his heart sank. If the Guardian of Hope looked like that, he knew things had taken a turn for the worst. "What happened?"

"Their home..." Bunny began. He took in deep breaths, trying to remain calm and not lose it. Jack hadn't seen him like this since Easter had been ruined. "It's...it's gone."

Jack just stared at the Pooka with wide eyes. "Gone? What do you mean 'gone'?"

"It was in flames," said Bunny. "I stayed long enough to find out what happened. According to the fire fighters, a faulty plug exploded in the living room. The fire alarms went off, but only the neighbours heard. No one got out. The kids were here, obviously, but...the mother..."

Jack looked down at his feet. He remembered what Jamie had said; his mother had taken sleeping pills so she didn't wake up in the night, and as he'd said, 'not even a fire engine could wake her up'...

He looked behind him at Jamie and Sophie, who were still sound asleep and unaware of the tragedy that had befallen them. "But...how... How could this happen? They were there...hours ago... If they had been in there...if we hadn't come and brought them here they would've...would've..." He began to take in deep breaths as panic gripped his entire being.

Bunny realized what was happening and placed his paws upon Jack's shoulders. "Mate, calm down. Calm down!" Jack dropped his staff and collapsed against Bunny's side.

"But if we hadn't visited them, or if we'd taken them back earlier-"

"They would have made it out," said Bunny. "They would have heard the alarm and made it out. Jack, you need to calm down. What's important now is that they weren't in there; they were here, and they're safe."

Jack's breathing slowed, and he looked over at the children. Bunny was right; the children were safe in the warren and away from danger. But that still didn't take away one important fact. "They may be safe...but their mother's gone...and we need to get them back so people know they're alive."

"No." Bunny shook his head. "Things are still chaotic there. Sending them back now will do them no good. When things have calmed down, maybe... But they need to be eased into this." He let go of Jack and looked over at the children, as well. "We need to get them to North. Call the other Guardians."

Jack frowned while picking up his staff. "It's that serious?"

"We're all fond of these two kids," the Pooka explained. "The others would want to know what happened. When we're together we can decided on...the best course of action...and the best way to tell them."

With a nod of agreement, Jack walked over to where the children still slept. He knelt down and for a few moments, he watched them sleep; there were so peaceful... It was what Jack liked about kids; how they could remain so innocent even when their world was falling apart around them. Jack sighed before he gathered Jamie into his arms and picked the boy up. His weight didn't bother Jack this time.

Bunny did the same with Sophie before tapping the ground with his foot. A tunnel opened up, and with a painful glance in Jack's direction, Bunny hopped inside. Jack followed.

* * *

North had been happily eating cookies and working on his latest creation when a yeti knocked on the door. "Come in!" The door opened, and Phil stood in the entrance with dozens of elves around his feet. "See? It's better with knocking."

The yeti blabbered gibberish – at least it would be gibberish to anyone else listening. But to North, the blabbering made perfect sense and he rose to his feet.

"Bunny? Jack? Children?" This he had to investigate. The elves parted as he walked out of his office and into the main part of the workshop, by the fireplace next to the globe.

There he found that Phil had been right; Bunny and Jack were stood in the room, laying down the sleeping Jamie and Sophie Bennett on the couch which had been brought in by two yetis. North tilted his head in confusion, and when the two Guardians turned, their looks meant that something was up. And whatever that something was, it wasn't good.

"North, we have a problem," said Bunny. "You better call the others."

North knew that out of all the Guardians, Bunny was the one who was least enthusiastic about getting together with the others. And North knew that when Bunny – of all people – suggested calling the other Guardians...it meant something serious was up.

With this, North immediately strode across the room to the control panel and summoned the other Guardians.

No words were exchanged while they waited, and North respected this. Bunny and Jack didn't want to say anything until Tooth and Sandy arrived. Instead the two Guardians kept their eyes upon the Bennett children, who were still sound asleep on the couch. It made North wonder what had happened; had Pitch attacked the children?

Tooth was first to arrive, still commanding her Mini Fairies even as she was arriving at top speed. "Two in Sydney! Three in New Zealand! Four in Tokyo!" Baby Tooth was by her side, and seeing Jack across the room, she immediately flew over to him and nuzzled his cheek affectionately.

Jack's worried expression disappeared for a few moments as he greeted the fairy. "Hey, Baby Tooth." The little fairy landed upon his shoulder.

"What's up?" Tooth questioned. Then she saw Jamie and Sophie. "Why are they here? What happened?"

That was when Sandy arrived, and hearing Tooth's question, he created a question mark above his head while glancing in North's direction.

"I don't know," said North. "But they do." He turned towards Bunny and Jack.

The two exchanged glances before Bunny hopped forwards, knowing he would be able to tell the story better than Jack; he had a better hold over his emotions. "We were visiting the kids like normal. Tonight they wanted to go to the warren, so I let them."

"_Burgess_ was hot," Jack spoke up. "They couldn't sleep. The warren was cooler for them."

"We painted some eggs, had a run around..." Bunny continued. "Some hours later they fell asleep. They haven't woken up since." He gestured to the sleeping kids behind him. "So Frost and I decided to take them home. But when I summoned a tunnel...it wouldn't open."

The other three Guardians exchanged worried glances. They were all aware of the fail-safe Bunny had on his tunnels.

"So Bunny went to go see the problem." Jack averted his gaze to the floor; he knew what part of the story was coming next, and didn't want the other Guardians to see his face in case a tear formed in his eye.

Bunny didn't notice. He was too busy trying to get a hold of his _own_ emotions. "I went up there to check it out; I came out a tunnel behind a bush, and...the house was in flames."

The eyes of North and Sandy widened while Tooth gasped, covering her hands over her mouth. "A fire? But... What about the mother?" she asked.

The Pooka lowering his head was enough of an answer.

"So why bring children here?" asked North.

"We couldn't send them back up there!" Bunny argued. "It's a mess! Chaos! It's bad enough that they've lost their mother; they don't want hundreds of neighbours who they've probably never even _talked_ to before coming up to them and saying 'sorry for your loss'. They're kids; these things need to be handled gently."

North could see Bunny's point, but... "So are they going to suddenly appear out of nowhere? Just pop up?"

Bunny paused. He hadn't thought of that.

Thankfully Jack had. "Jamie sometimes visits his friends in the middle of the night. A midnight camp out, he calls it. The mothers hate it. Jamie could say he was doing that – and if need be got separated from the others – and for some reason Sophie followed him."

"But...how do we tell them?" asked Tooth.

They all exchanged glances. None of the Guardians had experienced the pain of telling someone a tragedy had occurred. They all brought joy to the children of the world; telling kids something like this was new to them.

Then Jack remembered something. "I think...I can actually remember what happened when their father died. I was still invisible to them, but I was in the area and I was...curious. Their mother sat them down at the table; they knew that their father had been ill for sometime, and I think Jamie realized that something had happened. At first their mother said she was there for them, and that they were in this together. Then she told them outright, in the softest way possible. Jamie cried. Sophie didn't, but I don't think she understood what was going on; she was young."

Bunny looked over at the little girl he had become so attached to. "I don't think she'll understand now, either."

"That still sounds...hard." Tooth fluttered with worry, her feathers looking less bright than usual. "I don't think I could do it."

"Just remember that they have to know, and it would be worse to keep it from them," said Jack. "Jamie acts older than he actually is. He'll...he'll understand."

"I'll understand what?"

All eyes turned on the boy who had finally woken up. He rubbed his eyes, let out a yawn and then focussed his full attention on the Guardians, giving them a questioning look. Jack knew it was now or never and knelt down in front of him, before resting a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Jamie...I just want you to know...that no matter what happens we're all here for you." He gestured to the Guardians behind him. "We're all in this together, OK?"

Jamie's smile left his face immediately. "What happened? Mum told me the exact same thing when...when Dad died." Behind him, Sophie let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes, before they blinked open to look at Jack as well.

Jack sighed and looked down, before his blue eyes met once again with Jamie's brown ones. "There was an accident."

"An accident?" Jamie spoke. "What do you mean?"

"Your house...caught fire."

For a few moments Jamie just stared at him. "Caught fire?" He sighed. "I guess...things can be replaced. But what about Mum? Is she all right?"

Jack couldn't reply. The hope in the boy's eyes silenced him; he didn't want to be the one who made that hope go away. But his look and his silence was enough of an answer, and the hope faded anyway as Jamie looked between each of the Guardians behind – all of whom looked just as hopeless as Jack did. "She's...no..."

Tears formed in the boy's eyes, and suddenly he attacked Jack's middle, hugging him tightly as he cried into his jumper. Jack didn't hesitate to wrap his own arms around the boy, comforting him instinctively like he had done many times years ago with his sister.

"Jamie..." Sophie tapped her brother's shoulder, unsure what was going on. "Why you crying?" She began to sniff, tears forming in her eyes, as well. "If you cry..._I_ cry..."

Bunny hopped over to the girl and allowed her to fall into his arms, and he held her close to him as she cried, too. It was all the Guardians could do.


	3. Chapter Three: Finding Home

57 reviews.

Seriously. Thank you.

Ahem, anyway... I'm looking for more suggestions, but more specific this time. Basically parent situations where the Guardians have to deal with something, like say one of the kids get sick, or the kids end up making a mess. Things like that. Oh, and does anyone know any nice lullabies which were sung in colonial times? I want Jack to sing one to Jamie and Sophie, but I can't seem to find a good one.

I hope you all like this chapter and don't forget to review! :D

* * *

Jack never believed the saying 'cry yourself to sleep'. He couldn't understand how it was physically possible; how a person could cry themselves to sleep when they were obviously in so much pain and angst. But after half an hour of holding and comforting Jamie, he found that the boy had done exactly that.

Cried himself to sleep.

Looking over at Bunny, Jack saw that Sophie had done the same. The little girl was curled up in the Pooka's arms, fast asleep, and breathing lightly. His legs beginning to give from the cramp, Jack gently lied Jamie back down on the couch, and noticed sadly that the boy's face was red and wet from the tears he had cried. Bunny hesitated for a moment and looked down at Sophie; the protective part of him wanted to keep her close to him and safe, but he felt it better for her to be with her brother and placed her next to him.

The two siblings instinctively curled up with each other, and Jack placed Jamie's stuffed rabbit in between them. _They looked so peaceful sleeping before... But now they look troubled. It's not right_.

"They don't deserve this." He stood up and turned to face the other Guardians. "First their father, then Jamie's dog died a month ago, and now..." He turned back to the children, wanting to do _something_ but at a loss of _what_.

North and Bunny exchanged glances. "First we must decide when to send them back."

"After things have died down, but not too long after," Bunny informed.

Tooth hovered over the two children, wanting to comfort them but also not wanting to disturb them. "Poor things. But will they have anywhere to go if we send them back? I mean, are there any relatives who can take care of them?"

The other Guardians looked at one another. They hadn't thought about what might happen to the two children after they sent them back.

"As far as I know, they don't," Jack replied to Tooth's question. "At least, that's what I know from what Jamie's told me. He says both sets of grandparents died years ago, and both his parents were only children. There could be some kind of distant cousin, but I can't be sure."

"You could check?" Bunny suggested. "Because I'm not sending those kids back until I'm sure they'll be taken care of."

"Agreed." North gave a cut nod. "Jack?"

Jack's gaze fell upon the two children, before he turned back to the larger Guardian. "Yeah. I'll go. While I'm there I'll also see if I can salvage anything from their home."

"Then it's settled," said North. "We will wait here with the children. Do you want to borrow snow globe?"

"Or use one of my tunnels?" Bunny added.

But Jack shook his head. "No. I'll fly. I have a lot to think about, anyway."

* * *

When Jack saw the house it sent shivers down his spine, despite the heat of the summer. _That must have been some fire_.

All that was left of the house was the walls and one upstairs floor, but apart from that, furniture had been burnt to a crisp – some of it had even disintegrated – and every other upstairs floor had collapsed. The roof was gone completely.

Jack landed carefully in the only upstairs room which had a floor – Jamie's bedroom.

He sighed in disappointment when he discovered there really wasn't anything to salvage. Everything was gone; the pictures, the books, the toys... There was nothing left. The entire room was black, and Jack could almost feel the heat of the fire which had been long put out.

The boy took off into the air again, which was where he noticed the garden shed completely untouched. _Jamie's sled_. That would be fine, he realized. But before he had the chance to fly down to it he noticed two men stood outside the house who were dressed in uniforms. _They'll know what will happen to the kids_. Jack flew down, and at first hid behind the fence until he realized that they wouldn't be able to see him; so he hopped up and sat on the fence, instead.

"I've never seen a fire do this much damage before," the first man said. He was young, and looked to be right out of college.

The second man – much older than the first – sighed. "You've never seen many fires anyway, rookie. But this is what happens when the alarm is raised late. The family didn't hear the fire alarms, and by the time the neighbours did it was too late."

"But I don't understand about the body issue," said the younger. "How can we find the mother's remains by not the kids'?"

"That's one mystery that puzzles me." The older man never looked up once, and continued to jot things down in his clipboard. "The only explanation is that the kids were out; but why two kids would be out in the middle of the night – and why they haven't come back yet – I'll never know."

_So they think they're alive_. Jack continued to listen.

The younger officer looked thoughtful. "So what will happen to the kids? You saw their records; they don't have any living relatives."

"They'll go into foster care," said the older one. "The little girl will be sent to a family quickly; the younger ones always are, to save them trouble. The boy will be put in the nearest foster home; that's in the next town."

The younger officer gasped, and unknown to him, so did Jack. "They'll be split up? After what's happened to them?"

Finally the older officer looked up. "It's sad, I know, but life is like that. If they stayed together, they'll have less chance of being taken in by a family. It's what's best for both of them. If you stay in the job as long as I have, you'll understand someday, rookie."

The younger officer nodded. If they had both chosen to turn around at that moment, they would have seen the shed opening on its own, and a sled being taken out before flying into the air.

* * *

Jack arrived at the Pole and saw that Jamie and Sophie were awake, so paused to watch them for a moment. They were by the fireplace, and North had fished out a few left over toys from last Christmas; Sophie had Jamie's stuffed rabbit in one hand and a unicorn in the other, and was bouncing them around on the floor next to Bunny. Jamie was sat lifelessly next to a toy train, half-heartedly pushing it along the floor with his head lowered.

Sophie noticed how unhappy her brother looked so hurried over to him and held out the stuffed rabbit. "Bunny hop?"

Jamie looked up at his sister, who smiled and continued to hold the rabbit towards him, expecting him to take it. The boy smiled slightly and accepted it. "What do you want me to do?"

His sister giggled. "You go hop, hop, hop!" she exclaimed, before hopping around the room with the unicorn held high above her head. Jamie's smile widened as he followed her, doing the same with his rabbit.

The Guardians were watching the kids with smiles, and Jack felt himself smiling to. _They need each other. If they get split up, it'll do them more bad than good_. With that thought, Jack made a decision...but he knew he needed to discuss it with the others, as well.

Sophie ran out of the room, laughing as Jamie gave chase, and Jack took this as his cue to enter. He wanted to talk with the Guardians in private.

They turned when they felt his presence. "Back so soon?" asked North.

Jack nodded while holding out the sled. "This was all I could salvage. It was in the shed. Everything else is gone. There's nothing left, apart from bits of wood and some ash, but I doubt the kids would want any of that."

"Belongings can be replaced," said Bunny. His head lowered. "People can't..."

"Did you find anything out?" asked Tooth. "About their family?"

Jack took in a deep breath and let it out again. It was now or never. "I head two officers talking. Since they never found the kids' remains, they suspect that they may still be alive. But...if they find them, they'll be put into foster care and...separated."

North and Sandy exchanged glances while Tooth covered her mouth.

"Separated?" Bunny repeated. "After everything they've been through – after _losing their mother_ – they're gonna be _separated?!_ How can they do that?! Those kids need each other; they can't to be split up the one time when they need each other most!"

"Apparently it's for the best," said Jack. "One of the officers said that it's difficult for siblings to be taken in by the same family. Separating them gives them a better chance."

"How can it give them a better chance?!" Bunny was yelling at this point, and the others hoped that the kids wouldn't hear and come running.

Jack held up his hands in defence. "I'm with you. I don't agree with them. But there is another option."

Bunny calmed down at this, and North sent Jack a questioning look. "Which is?"

The boy smiled. "_We_ can take them in."


	4. Chapter Four: Jack's Lullaby

We've almost reached 100 reviews. And this is only chapter four.

There are no words to describe this. Seriously.

Anyway, sorry for the wait with this one. I was finally convinced to watch _The Avengers_ and loved it, and it momentarily diverted me away from this fandom. And when a friend mentioned that Loki reminded them of Pitch, I went and watched _Thor_, too. Let's just say I'd give that guy a hug any time. And I thought Pitch's backstory was tearful...

So in this chapter Jack sings a lullaby. And since I couldn't find an old fashioned lullaby which wasn't either racist or sexist (or had anything other than a disturbing meaning), I've used a modern song. It's called _Safe and Sound_ by Jason Chen. I think it fits pretty well.

I hope you all enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!

* * *

The Guardians gave Jack looks of shock; even Bunny was caught off guard by his words. "Mind running that by me again, mate?"

"We can take them in," the boy repeated. "They don't have anywhere else to go."

"But Jack," North spoke up, "we told you before. We don't have time for children. Our jobs are too busy."

"They won't get the proper love and attention they need," Tooth added.

Jack rolled his eyes. "If the foster care system is as bad as I've heard, they won't be getting any of that from there, either! Look, you guys have been great since that Easter," he continued. "You've all made time. You've all had fun with the kids."

Tooth fluttered over to him. "Jack, there's a difference between setting aside a few hours a week – maybe a few hours a month – to play with the kids. Raising them is a commitment."

"Oh, so you're all willing to just let social services split them apart?" Jack shot back. None of the Guardians knew how to respond to that. "Look, I see where you guys are coming from, but it's our job to protect kids. And right now, these two kids need protecting from separation. You saw them; they need each other to get through this."

The other Guardians exchanged glances as they remembered what had transpired minutes before; Sophie had been able to cheer Jamie up, even if just a little bit. The two had become close after the incident at Easter; Jack had pointed this out to the others himself. But if what they had witnessed was anything to go by, the brother and sister had become _even closer_ after what had happened to their mother.

Bunny hopped forwards next to Jack. "He's right." He turned to North. "North, you and I are only active once a year. Sure, we're busy throughout the year as well, but we can make time for the kids. I'm not having my little ankle-biter separated from her big brother. It's not happening in a million years."

North smiled. "Bunny, I've never seen you agree with Jack before."

"Did we just get transported to Mars?" asked Tooth, smirking.

Normally Bunny would have chuckled, or rolled his eyes – this time he did neither, and instead shot them both a serious glance. "Mates, this is no time to joke around."

"I know," Tooth admitted, "but if we took them in, where would they even stay? Sandy and Jack don't have permanent homes, and the children can't stay in my palace. With all my fairies flying around, it's too hectic."

"And I don't think my warren will be suitable, either," Bunny said, suddenly realizing just how difficult this was going to be. "For humans, anyway. It's a home for a rabbit."

Jack looked at North. "Why not here? At the North Pole?"

North's eyes widened. "But it gets _way_ too busy! Busier than Tooth palace!"

"Not all year," Jack pointed out. "And it has food, and rooms where the kids can sleep." He walked over to the man who had become like a father to him, giving him a look which was serious, and showed just how serious he was about this. "Look, these kids need each other. You know that as well as I do. We can't just stand back and let them be pulled apart when there's something we can do. The kids may be here, but we'll all help out as much as we can. Right, guys?"

Bunny hopped over and gave North a firm nod. Tooth smiled, Baby Tooth whizzed around happily, and Sandy gave North the thumbs up. The big man looked at them all, and with all of them in agreement...there wasn't an excuse for him to say no. And despite the trouble it would no doubt cause, _he_ didn't want the kids to be separated, either.

"Dingle." He turned to one of the elves standing off in the corner, who stepped forwards. "Tell Phil to prepare the guest room. Smiley." Another elf stepped forwards. "Tell Ted to start making clothes; he'll need to take measurements..."

As North continued to order his elves and yetis about, Bunny caught Jack smiling slightly as if he knew something someone else didn't, or had just thought of a great idea for a joke. With a trickster like him, who knew? "You better not be planning anything. Especially with the kids around now."

"I wouldn't dream of it," said the boy honestly as he held up his hands in defence. "But I did just realize something."

"What?"

"Kids have always dreamed of getting even a _glimpse_ of Santa's workshop," Jack explained. "Heck, even _I_ tried to bust into this place for years in order to get a look. Jamie and Sophie have not only _seen_ it, but they're going to be _living_ in it. In their eyes, how amazing is that?"

Bunny smiled at the nice thought. "It doesn't take away what's happened to them – and what _could_ have happened to them, had they gone back – but it's certainly something which will keep their spirits up. They need all the wonder, hope, dreams and joy we can give them. And a bit of fun." He winked.

Jack smiled.

* * *

When evening arrived the room had been prepared. Jack had been right about the reactions of Jamie and Sophie; the siblings were overwhelmed in a good way at the thought of living in Santa's workshop, and luckily for the Guardians, Jamie hadn't questioned why he and Sophie weren't going back to _Burgess_. He wordlessly understood that he and his sister had no family waiting for them, and probably didn't like to think about what would happen if they _did_ go back.

Jack could understand. The very thought of what he had overheard still unsettled him.

Both children were a little reluctant to go to sleep at first, mainly due to the time difference of where they were compared to their home, but with Sandy's help they settled down. The guest room had two beds, but Sophie had refused to sleep in her own and the Guardians couldn't argue with her desperation to be close to her brother out of comfort.

Sandy began to weave his dreamsand above their heads, but upon seeing the unhappy expressions on both their faces, he turned to where Jack was sat by the bed and pointed them out. He then formed a musical note above his head and pointed again.

Jack understood...but he was taken aback by the request. "You want me to sing to them? A lullaby?" Sandy nodded.

The young Guardian understood. Sandy didn't want the two children to receive Nightmares; a visit from Pitch was the last thing they needed. Even though the Boogeyman was weak and was no longer trying to get rid of the Guardians, Jack preferred it if they kept him at bay altogether.

And if a child was unhappy or uncomfortable while going to sleep, that increased the chance of a Nightmare.

Jack remembered back to his days before he was chosen by the Man in the Moon; he remembered how his mother would sing him a lullaby at night before he went to sleep, and then later did the same with his sister, Mary. Jack remembered a couple of times when he sung his sister the lullaby himself, when their mother had been unable to.

He realized he could still remember the words. So, after taking in a deep breath and closing his eyes, he began to sing. "_I remember tears streaming down your face when I said 'I'll never let you go'. When all those shadows almost killed your light. Hold onto to this lullaby, even when the music's gone. Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be all right, no one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound._"

Sandy smiled and nodded, before he drifted out of the room; he needed to make his rounds around the world. Jack opened his eyes after feeling him go and noticed the dreams above the heads of Jamie and Sophie; the former was dreaming about having a snowball fight with his friends, while the latter was dreaming about playing with Bunny.

Speaking of Bunny...

"Nice lullaby."

Jack turned to see the Pooka standing in the doorway, arms folded. "My mother used to sing it to me, and to my sister. I used to sing it to her, too." He turned back to Jamie and Sophie, giving them sad looks. "They don't deserve this; what's happened to them..."

"Life is like that." Bunny hopped over to the bed and crouched so he was eye level with Jack. "Sometimes we can't protect every child. It hurts knowing that, but it's part of life. And when these things happen to them... Hope, wonder and joy may not be enough, but it helps little by little."

The boy nodded. "I couldn't let these two go, though. I just...couldn't."

"I know, and I couldn't, either." Bunny smiled down at Sophie, noticing what she was dreaming about. "Before what happened that Easter – before I met that little ankle-biter – I would never have allowed myself to get attached. I only wanted to focus on Easter and bringing hope. But now...I've let the attachment get to me. We would never have allowed ourselves to do something like this before – we never would have agreed to it. Makes you realize just how far we've come; how much we've changed since the incident. Next time I see spook, I might even _thank_ him for what he did."

Jack smirked at the thought of a shell shocked Pitch unable to comprehend being thanked for almost trying to kill them all. But that smirk faded when he realized that he needed to make his rounds across the world; sure, it was summer in Burgess and in the northern hemisphere...but the _southern_ hemisphere would be expecting some frost. "I should go," he said, rising to his feet. "I need to make Chile _chilly_ again. But..." He gazed down at the children, reluctant to leave them so soon after their tragedy.

Bunny understood. "Go on. I'm here with them. It's off season for me."

"Thanks." Jack sent the Pooka an understanding smile before walking over to the window and opening it. He turned back one final time, gave Bunny a nod, before he took off into the sky. The wind gently blew the window shut again.

With a sigh, Bunny turned back to gaze upon the children; they were sleeping soundly, and he smiled. _There's still hope for them_. With that thought Bunny took a seat in a wooden chair in between the two beds – sat himself so he slightly faced the bed which contained the two children – before he took out his boomerang and began to inspect it.

But a few minutes later he heard moans come from the two children and instantly looked up.

Sophie was first; the golden sand above her head turned black and she began to toss and turn. Jamie's dream followed suit, and the two siblings clutched each other in their sleep.

Bunny was instantly on his feet, both boomerangs out and ready for action. He knew that when dreams turned into Nightmares, Pitch wasn't very far behind.

He didn't have to wait long. A shadow appeared from under the bed, and the room became darker as the Boogeyman rose from the floor and towered at his full height. "My, what do we have here?" he asked, his voice sounding genuinely surprised.

With a few short hops Bunny was instantly in front of Jamie and Sophie, his eyes narrowed at Pitch. "You take _one step_ towards these little nippers, and I'll rip you apart where you stand."


	5. Chapter Five: Nightmares

We passed 100 reviews, people! In so little time as well! My record for reviews is over 350 on a single story; think we can pass that with this one?

For those of you who think he's nothing but trouble, I'm one of those people who think Pitch is just a guy trying to do his job (apart from that whole destroying the Guardians phase he went through) and isn't all bad. If anyone is strongly against this, I suggest you stop reading now to prevent from flames being left. I like reviews; flames are just a waste of everyone's time.

Also, for those of you who have read _Guardian of Light_, my theory on what happens to Katherine is different in this story. Nightlight's is still the same, though.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy, and don't forget to review!

* * *

Pitch looked at the children, then at Bunny, and then at the children again. His expression was genuinely one of confusion and surprise, and it was this which prevented Bunny from attacking the Boogeyman then and there. His attention still focused on the children, Pitch made a gesture with his hand, and the Nightmares which had formed left. Jamie and Sophie stopped tossing and turning and settled down again.

With an eyebrow raised, Bunny turned back to Pitch, who only shrugged. "I want an explanation, and I don't want interruptions."

"So those rat-bags aren't gonna just hang on until you're done?"

"Who said I was giving them back?"

The eyebrow raised even higher. "It's _you_."

Pitch rolled his eyes. "I don't give Nightmares. Not anymore. I just control them." His attention turned back to the children. "So tell me exactly why these children are here instead of in their own beds? And tell me why _you're_ here, while we're on the subject?"

"That's none of your business, spook," said Bunny firmly. His eyes narrowed as he pointed a boomerang at Pitch in a threatening manner. "We're taking care of the situation. It's not in your interests to know."

"It _is_ if these children continue to have Nightmares."

Bunny went to open his mouth in reply, but closed it again when he realized that Pitch had a point. Jamie and Sophie were still shaken from what had happened to them – if not traumatized – and no matter how skilled Sandy was at his work, Bunny realized that he wasn't going to make the Nightmares go away easily. And Pitch would show up every single time, he knew, because...well, it was his job.

The Pooka sighed. "Fine. Their house caught fire and their mother was killed. They escaped because they were visiting the warren. And since they don't have any family members they were gonna be split up by social services, so we decided to take them in."

Pitch gave Bunny a raised eyebrow; he looked over at the sleeping children, then back at Bunny again. "You Guardians have really gone to extremes in protecting children. What plans does the Man in the Moon have for you all now? Does he want to open up his own personal orphanage?"

Bunny's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've decided to take in children who need homes," said Pitch. "Isn't that sweet. Of course, may I remind you how many children there are who need that? Children who lose their parents and end up in the system? Children who are split up every day because they have no where else to go? And you're planning on taking in every single one of them."

"Pitch..." Bunny growled in warning.

"And what about the children who run away from home?" the Boogeyman continued. "And how about the ones who have homes, but their families don't care about them? You're going to take them all in, even though you're all busy enough as it is trying to bring joy to the others."

"We're not taking them all in!" When Pitch smirked, Bunny realized he'd said exactly what the Nightmare King was expecting him to say.

"Oh? So you're favouring these two little children over all the others who need your help? Who need protecting?" he questioned. "I always thought you Guardians were against favouring individual children. Remember what happened the _last_ time you did that?"

That was the last straw, and Bunny grabbed Pitch's collar in one paw and raised the other, ready to knock the Boogeyman's lights out. But when he saw Pitch's smirking face, he refrained from the violence and instead let him go, taking in deep breaths in order to calm himself down.

"This isn't like the last time," he spoke finally. "And sure, we're favouring. There was nothing in the rules which said we couldn't do it. We just chose not to because we were always busy. But things are different, now. When you tried to destroy us, that boy kept on believing; he even believed in Jack. This is the least we could do for him. And his sister... She's the most innocent child I've ever laid my eyes upon. Sure, it's favouritism, but we can't protect every child of the world. But that doesn't mean we won't damn well _try_."

Pitch just stared at Bunny for a few moments...and then he chuckled. When he did, Bunny realized that the Nightmare King had been counting on him saying that, too. "So you _are_ up to the challenge. At least in heart and mind."

"Come again?"

"The struggles of a parent," Pitch explained, "is knowing that favouritism can't end well, but doesn't stop you from doing so. It is also knowing that you can't always protect your children, but this doesn't stop you from trying." He chuckled again. "Of course, there's _far_ more to it than that. You Guardians have no idea what you've gotten yourselves into. Taking care of a child is a lot different than visiting them once a year; do any of you have any idea how to do it?"

"That's not gonna stop us from trying, mate," said Bunny. "And who are you to call us out on this when _you_ don't even know how?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Bunny immediately regretted them. He knew – _all_ the Guardians knew – who Pitch was before he became the Boogeyman. And they all knew that it was a very touchy subject.

The rage in Pitch's eyes was evident within seconds, and the tables were turned when Pitch tried to take a swing at the Pooka. "You Guardians know who I was before this! You all know the story how I became who I am! I _know_ how hard it is to be a parent; I _know_ because I _failed_! And it's even worse knowing that I failed by doing the exact thing a parent should _always_ do! I thought my daughter was trapped with those shadows, but because I did – because I opened that prison and allowed myself to become _this_ – she had to grow up _without me_! How hard do you think that is? Knowing you did the right thing, but also knowing it was the _wrong_ thing, too?! Yes, I know how to be a parent – and because I do, I know that unless you Guardians get a backbone and your priorities straight, you're going to fail like _I_ did!"

"North!"

Pitch and Bunny looked over at the bed. Jamie was sat upright, looking over at them with wide eyes, while he also held Sophie close to him; the girl was awake as well, her face buried into her brother's chest.

Hearing the hurriedly approaching footsteps of North, Bunny turned back to Pitch. "I suggest you go."

Seconds later the door was kicked open, revealing North in the doorway with both his swords in hand and an angry expression upon his face. "Pitch!" He charged and swung his swords at the Nightmare King, but Pitch vanished into the shadows and didn't reappear again.

North lowered his swords, taking in deep breaths as he calmed himself down, before turning his attention to Bunny. "Why didn't you call for help?"

"He wasn't attacking the kids," the Pooka replied. He walked over to the bed and sat down upon it next to Sophie, and gently stroked her hair in order to comfort her. When he did this, Sophie looked up and immediately latched onto him, burying her face into his fur. "They had Nightmares, and he came to deal with them."

"But things got out of hand?"

Bunny nodded. "Call the others."

* * *

"I knew I shouldn't have left!"

"Jack, mate, you had a job to do," Bunny assured the younger Guardian. "I was here. I took care of it." When North sent him a look, the Pooka added, "Sort of."

"So what happened?" asked Tooth, in between giving commands to her fairies.

Bunny looked at each of his fellow Guardians, who were all gathered in front of the fire place. His gaze lingered on Jack the longest, whose arm was wrapped around Jamie in a comforting manner, before Bunny finally looked down at Sophie, who was dozing in his arms. He sighed.

"OK," he began. "First, he took care of the Nightmares. Then he wanted to know why these kids were here. At first I wouldn't tell him, but when he mentioned that he'd be coming again if the kids had more Nightmares, I explained. I think after that he...tested me. To see if I could do the job right."

A question mark appeared over Sandy's head as North asked, "What job?"

"Parenting." Bunny sighed. "After that he told me it's a lot harder than it looks, and that we don't know what we're getting ourselves into. Then I said something...I really shouldn't have said, and he got angry with me. That's when the kids woke up and called for help."

"So he was testing you before to see if you could be a parent?" Jack questioned. Bunny nodded. "Why would he do that? Are you sure he wasn't just trying to mess with you?"

"I would have thought that too if he didn't get angry with me," said Bunny. "And you have to admit it; out of all of us, he's the only one with experience in raising kids."

Jack's eyes widened. "He...what?"

"He was someone once too, you know," Bunny told him.

North walked over to Jack and laid a hand upon his shoulder. "I'll tell you story."

Jack looked reluctant to leave Jamie alone, but when the boy sent him a reassuring look, the young Guardian nodded and followed North deeper into the workshop. When he was gone, Jamie approached Bunny. "Is she OK?"

"She's out like a light," said Bunny with a smile, gesturing down to the little girl.

Seeing that things were being handled, both Sandy and Tooth left in order to get on with their jobs. Jamie was silent for a few moments after before he asked, "Who were the kids you favoured before?"

Bunny's eyes widened. "You _heard_ that?"

"I woke up when the Nightmares went," the boy explained. "I heard everything. But Jack never told me about there being kids before."

"That's because he wasn't around when that happened," Bunny explained. Then he sighed, knowing he had no choice in telling Jamie. "They were both Guardians of sorts. Their names were Nightlight and Katherine – you may know the latter as Mother Goose."

"Mother Goose... I heard of her when I was very young, but only thought she was a story."

"That was the problem." Bunny sighed again. "Nightlight died fighting Pitch. It was a major blow for all of us. He was just a kid... Katherine stayed around for longer, but North was...overprotective of her. He didn't want her to meet the same fate as Nightlight. This had consequences. She didn't go out as often as we did; didn't make herself as known. As a result, the belief in her faded until...she faded away completely."

"I'm really sorry."

"There's no need to apologize, kid," said Bunny. "North...blamed himself for what happened to her. He was the closest to both out of all of us. That's why he was reluctant to take in you and your sister. In fact, it's why we were _all_ hesitant at first; we may have said it was because of our jobs, but..."

"I can understand why," said Jamie. "What were they like? Nightlight and Katherine?"

Bunny smiled at the memory of them. He – like the other Guardians – wanted to try harder with Jamie and Sophie, and not make the same mistakes they made with Nightlight and Katherine. They stopped getting attached to kids after what happened with those two...but as recent events proved, they knew this shouldn't stop them from trying again.

"They were Guardians; fierce and true."


	6. Chapter Six: Daughter to Father

So uh...yeah. Hi, guys.

I'm really, _really_ sorry about how long this one took to get up. First there was writer's block, then there was real life, and well...things just piled up, and as much as I hate to admit it, my stories on here have to take a back seat when other more important things are concerned.

Hopefully most of my readers are still here, waiting patiently. Well, your patience has been rewarded...with a short chapter. *cringes* Sorry again. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer.

...and hopefully you'll all forgive me when you see who appears in this chapter. :D And just so you know, her design is different than the one in _Guardian of Light_. It's the original William Joyce look here.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review!

* * *

The little lights lit up the dark globe as it slowly turned through its usual rotation.

For centuries, the little lights used to mock the Boogeyman. They showed that the children of the world believed in the Guardians; and more importantly, not in _him_. But that had changed. The treatment Pitch had been subdued to at the hands – or rather hooves – of the Nightmares had made him realize that he wasn't going to be getting rid of the Guardians anytime soon.

And then _she_ had come.

She had explained that even though his job was grim, it had to be done. A little bit of fear in the world was all right – so long as it remained little, and was enough to teach children important lessons about life. He had agreed to this, and promised to not try and plunge the world into darkness again. He had promised her this because, even after everything that had happened – even after what he had become – he couldn't deny her anything.

Pitch stood with his eyes fixated on the globe, hands clasped together behind his back, but his mind was far away and he wasn't paying attention to the millions of lights before him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get the event which had transpired earlier out of his head.

He wondered why his thoughts were lingering on the two children for such a long length of time. These children may be important to the Guardians, but that didn't mean they were important to _him_. Especially the boy, who had ruined his plans with his refusal to stop believing. Although, Pitch had to admit, even _he_ felt guilty about threatening to kill the boy. Desperate times called for desperate measures, he reasoned, but that still wasn't an excuse.

His eyes settled upon the two lights at the North Pole, glowing brighter than the rest. A hand reached out towards them...but then he realized what he was doing and pulled it back again.

_Why am I even still thinking about them? They're just children! No different than the millions of other children across the globe_. And yet, he still couldn't forget that, even after running through him that time after the battle, the boy could see him. Even after almost killing him, the boy was willing to keep on believing in him while the other kids of the world were oblivious.

"_I do believe in you. I'm just not afraid of you."_ Those words had replayed themselves in his head many times, and it made him think about what he wanted and how to go about getting it. Before, he thought he needed fear in order to be believed in. Now...he could only have one or the other. And being honest with himself, he would choose belief over fear any day. At least he would no longer be lonely.

Only then did he realize he was still thinking about the kids, and growled in anger before hitting the globe with his hands. It didn't even leave a dent, and the globe continued to spin as if nothing had happened. One of the Nightmares came to see what was up, but Pitch ended up growling at it, causing it to slink back into the shadows.

"Maybe there's a reason you're still thinking about them."

Pitch turned towards the familiar voice and saw _her_ standing behind him, her expression calm and knowing. Her jet black hair trailed the length of her back, bold against her green dress and pale skin. Her dark eyes held Pitch's gaze effortlessly, and she even raised an eyebrow at him.

Out of everyone in the world – including the Guardians – she was the only one who had nothing to fear from him. After all, for all his deeds he'd done over the years, Pitch still had standards – and he would _never_ attack his own daughter.

The Boogeyman finally looked away from her and sighed. "That doesn't mean I have to _like_ thinking about them. It's highly annoying." He glanced over at her again. "What are you doing here, anyway? I thought you only made yourself known whenever things go _very_ wrong?"

"Not _very_ wrong. Just when I'm needed," she replied. Mother Nature – Eartha Pitchiner – took several steps towards him. "My job is more than just making plants grow, seeing that the animals behave themselves and scaring people into using green energy by making the world heat up. It's about keeping the balance of things." She gave Pitch a smirk. "And making sure my dear daddy behaves himself."

"You didn't try and stop me with the other Guardians."

"I told you before; the whole point of that was to make Jack realize who he was. If things had gone too far, I would have stepped in."

"We're losing the point," Pitch interrupted. "Why are you here? I mean, not that I don't want you here. But two young children shouldn't be at the top of your concerns list."

She raised her eyebrows. "May I remind you that every creature on this planet – every _child_ on this planet – are my own creations. So in other words, my children. Of course I'm concerned about them. But I can't always help every single one of them; it's part of life for bad things to happen. These two children, though... Well, as the Guardians said, having favourites isn't always a good idea, but it doesn't stop people from having them."

This surprised Pitch. "The Bennett children are favourites of yours?"

"I've had many favourites over the centuries," Eartha explained. "Those individuals who I took extra care in creating; pure of heart, pure of soul, each and every one of them. The ones who grew up to change the world. And not just people, but animals as well; the most loyal pets, the animals of nature who made humans stop and stare in wonder. Jamie and Sophie Bennett are two of my latest favourites; so full of life and hope, the purest hearts and the purest souls I've ever created."

"I still don't understand what this has to do with me," said Pitch. "Shouldn't you be telling this to the Guardians? They're the ones raising the kids."

"Oh, I'm in the right place." She smirked, and instantly Pitch knew she was up to something. It was the same smirk she'd given him when she was younger, whenever she'd pinched more treats than she should from the cupboard. "You were right when you told Bunnymund that they don't have any experience in raising kids. You, on the other hand, _do_."

"Me?" Pitch just stared at her for a few moments...before he burst out laughing – only to stop when he saw her giving him a serious look. "You were serious?"

Eartha shrugged. "You did such a great job with me."

Pitch's face darkened. "Oh, yes. What a _wonderful_ idea," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Have the Boogeyman raise a couple of children while he goes out at night and controls the Nightmares of others. Yes, what a splendid idea! Now, wait a minute. How did he become the Boogeyman in the first place? Oh yes! He was tricked into thinking his daughter was trapped inside a prison of shadows, so opened it up and was consumed by those same shadows – therefore missing out on the rest of his daughter's life!"

"Father." Eartha placed a hand on Pitch's shoulder, and he instantly calmed down. "The fact that you were willing to face down an entire army of shadows in order to get me out of there proves just how dedicated you are."

"That still doesn't change who I am," he told her. "I'm what children are supposed to fear. I can't read them bedtime stories and teach them how to ride bikes."

Eartha shrugged in agreement. "Now that you put it that way... But can't you at least give the Guardians some advice? Offer help if they need it? Please?" Her eyes grew big and round as the woman gave him a look she knew he wouldn't be able to resist.

Pitch tried to avoid the dreaded puppy-dog look...but like the many times before when Eartha had been a child, he found that he couldn't deny her anything when she looked at him like that. "All right. Fine. But _only_ to give advice. I'm not a parent on call, you know."

"A little bit of advice will help, more than you know." She went to leave, but having another thought, she turned back to him. "And you need to remember; I'm the mother of all, which makes you the grandfather. _Their_ grandfather."


	7. Chapter Seven:Pitch's Guide to Parenting

So um...yeah. Been a while.

Long story short, university got in the way.

On the bright side, we passed 200 reviews! Thanks, guys!

I hope this chapter makes up for the long wait. ;)

Oh, and one last point: two reviewers said that Pitch's daughter's name is Seraphina. This is not the case, people. It was put on the RotG wiki by some fan who wanted their name to be used by everyone. They were caught out because, even though they _said_ it was mentioned in an interview, they never linked to the interview. Please spread the word about this, because people are still using this name on their fanart and in fanfictions, and I really don't want these people to look stupid when her real name is finally announced.

Of course, the fan could have been telling the truth and this is her actual name, but until it's announced officially, take it with a grain of salt.

* * *

After the encounter with Pitch, the other Guardians made a habit of visiting the North Pole whenever they had spare time on their hands; Bunny and Jack were the most frequent guests, trying to cheer up the Bennett children anyway they could. Sophie appeared to still be oblivious to what had happened, and had yet to ask about her mother and home. Jamie was beginning to return to his old self again, finally accepting what had happened and moving on. But he still had a way to go before he was fully recovered, and Jack wondered whether he'd ever be the same again.

One evening the Guardians were sat around the fireplace with the two children playing on the floor in their new pyjamas; they were testing out a new train set North had designed. The five of them just watched the children playing, not wanting to speak and disturb the happy atmosphere, and their silence continued until Sophie spotted Dingle the elf and took off after him. Jamie quickly followed to stop her.

"So far, so good," Bunny spoke up, once he was certain that the children were out of earshot. He sighed and rested his head against his paw. "For them, anyway. I've never been so tired in my life." He noticed that Sandy had dozed off, so didn't disturb him.

"Now I know how my parents felt," Jack agreed. "And Mary and I were a lot more active that most kids; I'm surprised we didn't kill them."

Tooth nodded in agreement. "I remember my parents never _looking_ tired, but when I was older, I found out it was an act. They wanted to hide just how tired they were from me. I'm surprised they kept up the act for so long."

"_Boje moi_," North swore under his breath. He was slumped in his seat, hand to his head and eyes droopy. "Least you all do not _live_ here. Little girl was up _three times_ in night! First bathroom, then drink, then bathroom again!" The man threw up his hands in annoyance. "Where's instruction book when you need one?"

"I don't have an instruction book. May I interest you in some advice?"

Despite how tired they were, the Guardians leapt to their feet when they heard the familiar voice and turned to see Pitch standing in the shadows. Even Sandy was jolted from his sleep and looked ready to fight.

Pitch stepped out into the light. "I would say how satisfying it is to see you all like this, but that would make the situation a hostile one."

"Pitch..." North warned. His hands were on the hilts of his swords, ready to draw them. Jack had his staff pointed at the Boogeyman, Bunny had his boomerangs at the ready and Sandy was debating whether or not to bring out his sand-whips. Tooth just looked irritated.

The Nightmare King held up his hands in defence. "I'm not here to start a fight. I'm only here to talk."

"How can we know you're not lying?" asked Jack.

"Eartha sent me."

Each of the elder four Guardians exchanged glances; they knew that when it came to Mother Nature, Pitch never lied or messed around. They each backed down, and Jack trusted they knew what they were doing so followed their example.

"Why?" asked North.

Pitch looked slightly annoyed as he replied. "I didn't want to come here, either, so the feeling of unwant is very much mutual. But Eartha told me she favours those two children as much as you do, and wanted to make sure they were cared for properly."

"And she sent you _because?_" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure your Guardians have informed you," replied Pitch. "I was a parent once, and she asked me to at least give you some advice on how to take care of children. And since I don't want to be here as much as _you_ don't want me here, I'll make this quick. First, you need to make time for the children. I understand that you all have very busy lives – bringing your _precious joy_ to the other children of the world – but children have needs and you need to be prepared to drop _everything_ when they need you."

North blinked. "But what if we're in middle of-"

"Doesn't matter," Pitch interrupted. "This does not need to happen all the time, however, as children also need to learn about patience. If they become blinded by the illusion that they can get you to do whatever they want and when they want it, they'll become spoilt brats with no regard for you or other people. There must be a balance – apart from when they're ill. Then you really _do_ need to drop everything."

"I don't think they'll become spoilt brats," said Jack. "Not those two."

Pitch rolled his eyes. "People never thought _I_ would turn dark, but look what happened. Case and point, even the sweetest children have their moments when they misbehave, and these two are no exception. When this happens – and it will – they need to be disciplined. Discipline isn't cruel, and even though the children may start crying their eyes out, it's for their own good. You need to make them understand that rules are there for their own protection, and when you shout at them for misbehaving, it's not because you're being unkind, but because you don't want them to do that stupid thing they did again. The only good thing that will come out of it is that, if they break the rules, they'll hopefully learn from them. That's sometimes the only way they _can_ learn. And when it comes to punishments, for god's sake, follow through with your threats if they get caught. If you don't, they'll think they can get away with it and they'll do it again."

The Guardians only stared. "That was...long winded," said Tooth.

"I'm not even finished." Pitch took a few moments to catch his breath before he began again. "The size of the leash you place upon the children must be reasonable; you can't let them run wild and do whatever they like," He glared at Jack as he said this, "otherwise it may result in them hurting themselves or others, and having no control over your children is never a good thing. On the other hand, you can't rein them in too close, otherwise they'll be all the more desperate to break free – and it may result in them hurting themselves or others, again. There must be a decent balance between the two. I suppose balance is the key when it comes to parenting; not too much but not too little."

"Sounds like a lot of work," Jack admitted.

"Parenting is work, work, work; it's a job which lasts for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with no breaks," said Pitch. "Yes, you'll be tired; yes, you'll be stressed and frustrated; you just have to suck it up and get on with it. And no matter what you do, you _will_ make a mistake at least once or twice, and when you do, it's not an excuse to give up and walk out or never let the children do anything again. Children are not the only ones who learn things throughout the experience; parents do, too. You will have those days where you wish they would just grow up already, but when they're grown up and gone, you'll wish they're children again because no matter how much stress it causes, these will soon be the most treasured years of your life."

Neither of the Guardians knew what to say. "Finished now?" Bunny asked curiously.

"Almost." Pitch let out another breath. "Speaking of growing up, a minor point applies to this special case; what's going to happen when they grow up and decide to leave? Sure, if they stay, there will be no problems. But if they leave, where will they go? You don't have their birth certificates, their social security numbers or any of their documents – and even if you retrieve them, right now these children have disappeared off the face of the Earth. If they reappear again from out of nowhere, people will start asking questions, and unless you come up with a very good lie, they'll be forced to tell the truth and end up in an asylum."

"We never thought about that," Tooth admitted.

"Well think about it," Pitch continued. "There's also the case of school and education, although with that huge library you keep at the Pole, this shouldn't be much of a problem."

"Correct." North nodded. "And before you ask, we have their medical care sorted out; one of my yetis who takes care of me is trained in human medicine, and while Tooth isn't a trained dentist, she knows enough to cover that area."

"Very well," said Pitch. "That should be all you need to know. Please don't ever call me unless things are very serious – _especially_ during the teenage years. I may not have been around when Eartha was that age, but I've seen enough to know how bad it can get."

"Fine, we won't bother you," said Bunny. "But thanks for coming and telling us; we needed that."

"Don't thank me. Really, don't. I only came because Eartha asked me..." He trailed off, looking over to the side, and when the Guardians turned to look too they saw what he had spotted – or rather, _who_ he had spotted.

Sophie entered the room, dragging Dingle by his hat behind her, but she froze at the sight of Pitch. It took a few seconds for her to register that this was the Boogeyman stood before her, and when it did, she gave a frightened squeak before letting go of the elf and darting behind Bunny. The elf picked himself up, and also noticing Pitch, he turned to run in fright.

"Sophie!" Jamie came running in a few seconds later, only to skid to a halt at the sight of Pitch. Unlike his sister, however, he seemed more uncertain than afraid. "Um..." He turned to the others for support.

"He was just leaving," said Jack, before turning to Pitch and giving him a 'you touch them and you're dead' look.

Pitch rolled his eyes before he turned to leave, but after having a second thought, turned back again. "And if you want to stop their Nightmares, here's a trick; hang dream-catchers in their rooms and have Sanderson sprinkle them with his sand." And then he was gone.

The Guardians and the Bennett children stared at the empty space where Pitch had been standing...before Jack suddenly began to smirk.

Bunny was immediately suspicious. "Jack...?"

"I just realized something," said the young Guardian, addressing the Pooka. "Pitch's daughter is Mother Nature, right? Meaning she's practically the mother of everyone on Earth – well, besides you and Sandy. But does this make Pitch everyone's grandfather?"

The Guardian of Hope realized Jack knowing this couldn't be good. His suspicions were confirmed later that night when Jack was tossed into his warren by a very angry Pitch, who simply told the boy, "Don't ever call me 'Gramps' again."


End file.
